Monteith Messenger

Tigers,

As we get closer to the holidays we know that everyone is getting busy and it can add some stress to try to get everything done! Please just remember that you never know what someone is going through so being kind is even more important this time of year. Each of us is fighting our battles so don't ASSUME you know how someone is feeling. Take time to be patient and kind and lead with curiousity and wonder, not judgement.

This week I had the opportunity to celebrate the good with two Monty Money winners who chose Lunch and Legos with Dr. Keelean! It was a wonderful part of my days and I look forward to more students choosing Lunch and Legos with Dr. Keelean soon!

Reminders:

Time to start sending in the snow gear! As it gets colder please remember to send in hats, gloves, warm coats, boots, and snowpants so that students are able to play outside during recess.

As the weather continues to change please make sure that your child has an EXTRA SET of CLOTHES in their lockers! In michigan you never know if it's going to rain, snow, so it's important to have that extra set just in case.

Your Partner in Education,

Dr. Keelean

If your family is intereted in joining in the fun here is the Event Sign up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0A48ACAA2CA4F58-53460951-jingle

If you would like to help the fun happen here is the: Event Volunteer Sign up - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0A48ACAA2CA4F58-53461770-jingle

For 4th Grade Families if you are able to donate to the 4th Grade Bake Sale at Jingle Jamboree please sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0A48ACAA2CA4F58-53462063-jingle#/

If you have a current 2nd or 3rd grade student you may be interested in learning about our magnet program. The GPPSS offers a magnet program for 3rd and 4th-grade students. Please click here for more information and click on the parent nomination form to nominate your student if interested. Additional information is available on our district website, including a slideshow and an FAQ document. If you have any questions please email Pam Albrecht, Magnet Program Coordinator, at albrecp@gpschools.org.

A few parents have also asked if there is something they can do at home to support their child's reading and math growth. In GPPSS we are lucky to have 3 online programs that you can access at home to support your child:

Lexia

RGR (K-4)

Freckle

All of these can be accessed through your child's Clever Login

The Green Team is SO EXCITED with the donations sent in so far! Take one last peek this weekend and see if there is any clean, good condition winter gear we can send on for students in Foster Care who need extra gear. We will be collecting items through DECEMBER 11th but would love as much as possible by Dec 10th for students to count and sort at lunch time!

We celebrate birthdays at Monteith by giving each student a birthday book and bookmark during their birthday month.

Due to the large number of student allergies, we no longer can allow any type of birthday cakes, cupcakes or cookies in the elementary schools (except for teacher scheduled celebrations) . Please save the present celebrations for home parties. If students want to bring in a small goodie bag of non-edible items ( Ex: pop-its, pencils, etc.) that is allowed but not necessary. If you do send in something with your child it needs to be for the whole class not just a couple students.

Kindness matters at Monteith and Always!

Our Boomerang Award winners this week: Ms. Patti (Title I paraprofessional ) and Mrs. Shier (Title 1)

Ms. Patti: Ms. Alex is so flexible and patient with kids and puts them first! She wears many hats and is always willing to help out in any way she can from lunchroom, recess, birthday books, Monty Money and working with students who need that extra boost of support in academics.

Mrs. Shier: Brings so much joy and passion to Title I. She helps students feel safe and supported as they review skills and learn new skills in reading and math. Mrs. Shier is always willing to help in anyway she can from directing traffic in front of school, supervisoring at Lunch or Subbing in a classroom.

Sign up for 12/9- 12/13

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E44AAAC2BA0F94-51214126-1291213

Sign up for 12/16-12/20

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E44AAAC2BA0F94-51214128-12161220

The library is getting festive and ready to celebrate the winter holidays soon. But before we can celebrate we have work to do for Hour of Code. All grade levels learned about coding and how it works. Young 5's and Kindergarten listened to the book Sonia's Digital World and talked about how technology connects us all and contributed to a chain link display to show those connections. The other grades played a game called Coding Hopscotch to practice creating sequences and running the commands. Next week Y5's and Kindergarten will be introduced to coding through the use of our Ozobots and 1st-4th graders will be working on coding exercises through the Kodable or Code.Org sites depending on their level of experience. We will end the month by learning about several winter holidays.

In Kindergarten music, we learn to keep a steady beat and use a singing voice. We listen and move our bodies to music to demonstrate fast/slow and loud/quiet. Students also learn to play different classroom instruments such as drums, boomwhackers, rhythm sticks, and maracas.

After studying portraits of Vincent Van Gogh, students took that knowledge and learned about different points of view of portraits. We learned that an artist could create a frontal facing portrait as well as a profile or side view of a person. We took this knowledge and applied it to create three different snowmen. We read the book “Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner to gain insight as to what activities snowmen liked to do for activities. One of our portraits is a frontal view, another a side view, and the last is our snowman doing a fun activity. We had to keep in mind that the snowman had to have the same appearance in each picture. Experimenting with oil pastels and how they can blend together was also a great amount of fun!

~Miss Zoufal

December

11th- PTO Meeting CANCELLED

13th- PTO Jingle Jamboree (6-8pm)(GYM)

SPIRIT WEEK!!!

16th- Spirit Day: Fun Holiday Socks

17th-Spirit Day: Holiday Head Gear ( Headbands, hats, etc)

17th- BAGEL DAY CASH ONLY $2.00 bagels and $. 50 Cream Cheese ( please have exact change)

18th- Spirit Day: Fun Holiday Sweater or Shirt

19th-Spirit Day: Sparkle and Shine!

20th-Spirit Day: Comfy Cozy PJ Day

23rd- Jan. 3rd (Winter Break)

January

6th- Students return to school

7th- BAGEL DAY

8th- PTO Meeting 6:30pm

20th- MLK Day (No School)

21st - BAGEL DAY

31st- Taher Pizza Day

February

8th- PTO Glow Dance (5-7pm)

12th- PTO meeting 6:30pm

17th- 21st- Mid Winter Break

March

12th- Monteith Spring Concert (Brownell)

6pm - K,1,2 & Choir

7:15pm 3,4, & Choir

19th - Full day of School Evening conferences (Virtual)

19th- PTO Meeting 6:30pm

20th- 1/2 day 11:36 Dismissal

20th- Afternoon conferences in person

20th- Evening conferences Virtual

21st- 1/2 day 11:36am dismissal

24th- 28th- Spring Break

April

4th- Taher Pizza Day

9th- PTO Meeting 6:30pm

18th - Good Friday (No School )

21st- No School (Staff PD day)

May

3rd- PTO: Flower Delivery Day

9th- Kindergarten Farm Trip

14th- PTO Meeting 6:30pm

26th- Memorial Day ( No School)

30th- Monteith Field Day & Taher Pizza Day

June

7th- PTO Summer Celebration

9th- 4th grade Promotion Rehearsel and Picnic

10th- 4th Grade trip to Lansing

11th- 4th Grade Promotion

13th- Last Day of School (1/2 Day 11:36am dismissal)

Would you like to know what is hapening with the PTO? Please fill out this form to be up to date on all PTO information

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How do I join the PTO? or Donate?

PTO is $20 per Family. You can pay through Venmo: @Monteith-ElementaryPTO

In notes put family name and child's name

If your student will be taking medication during the school day, please bring the medicine and

Medication Administration Authorization form to the office on the first day of school The form is requjiured for all prescription and over the counter medications to be given by school staff.

If your child will be staying home because of illness, please call the attendance line at 313-432-4501 and leave a brief message. Please refer to Guidelines to Exclude a Child from School.

Email: Keeleas@gpschools.org
Website: https://mi01000971.schoolwires.net/Domain/1586
Location: 1275 Cook Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, USA
Phone: 313-432-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/697593667092945